Pataudi Trophy recognition eyed for India v England

Sharmila Tagore, the widow of former India captain Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, has written to the BCCI asking for the upcoming series between India and England to be recognised as the Pataudi Trophy.

Pataudi, who died in September 2011, played 46 Tests for India, captaining in 40, and scored 2,793 runs at an average of 34.91. Pataudi's father, Iftikhar Ali Khan, represented both England and India in Tests.

In her letter, written on November 2, to BCCI President N Srinivasan, Tagore said that she was disappointed that the board had not instituted a Pataudi lecture and the Pataudi Trophy.
"As you are aware, next week India-England test series begins," Tagore said. "I am given to understand ECB has already written to BCCI requesting to make the trophy official.

"You will recall my previous mail to you where I had mentioned our disappointment at the close of the Test series at the Oval and had urged you to take the matter forward and formalise the trophy."

The MCC had commissioned the Pataudi Trophy in 2007, to be presented to the winning captain at the end of future England-India Test series. It was conceived to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the first-ever India-England Test series that took place in 1932, named after the Pataudi family for their contribution to Anglo-Indian cricket. The BCCI, though, never gave its official stamp of approval to the naming of the trophy.

Tagore said that the matter should be fast-tracked as the India-England series is only days away. "You had assured me that you have told the people concerned to take it forward. Please note that this correspondence is almost a year old. Now, since there is very little time before the start of the series, I am hoping you will act on this matter soon and inform me about your decision at your earliest."